Persrown 

©tse§o 


AKEr 


l,,'l%^i'^^$^^!^:;n^0ii^ 


^:wmP 


M;'!!i>y■'f^c^t  ■■■'■■ 


iCooperstown 

Otsego 

Lake 


AND 


COOPE  RSTOW  N,   N.Y. 
HE.   BISSELL. 


^Z^  ^^^  s^^  ^^'^p*  e^^  s^^  Si?^  ^?'  i^^  Si^*  ^^^  ^^  ^?^  1^^  ^^  <^^  ^^^ 


( '*  B^*  ^*  4^*  ^*  a^*  «^*  ^^  ^^  ^*  ^*  ^*  ^*  4^*  »^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  e^^  s^^  i^^  f^^ 


Descriptive  sketch  of  the  village  made  famous 
by  J.  Fenimore  Cooper,  in  his  Leatherstocking 
Tales,  with  views  of  village  and  lake. 


COPYRIGHT   KY 

CLARENCE  >V.  DAVIDSOK. 
lOOl. 

ALIj    RIGHTS    KESEKVED. 


PRINTEn  AT  THK   l>KKIeE   OF 

THE  OTSEOO   REl'UBLICAN'^. 

COOPERSTO\VN.   X.Y. 


LIBRARY 
UNlVERSrn'  OF  CALIFORNM 

SAM/k  BAKiiARA 


TBioWn 


Qm- 


,^^  ITUATED  at  the  foot  of  Otsego  Lake,  at  the  headwaters  of  the 
Susquehanna,  is  the  historic  village  of  Cooperstown.  "The 
„__,  most  beautiful  place  in  all  the  world,"  is  the  unanimous  verdict 
of  thousands  of  people  from  all  parts  of  the  continent  who  have 
visited   Cooperstown. 

One  of  the  chief  attractions  of  this  beautiful  inland  resort  is  the 
lake,  the  'Glimmerglass'  of  Cooper's  'Leatherstocking  Tales', 
stretching  away  to  the  north,  between  gently  undulating  hills  on  the 
west,  and  the  more  abrupt,  mountainous  elevations  on  the  east. 

The  pen  of  the  great  novelist  has  immortalized  this  beautiful 
sheet  of  water.  The  scene  so  vividly  described  by  the  author  in 
''T/ic  Deershiyer''  were  either  enacted  on  the  lake,  or  on  the  leafy 
shores  or  mountains  that  surround  it.  Every  little  point  has  been 
portrayed  with  a  wealth  of  romantic  detail  that  makes  the  story  as 
real  as  the  place  itself.  The  lake  still  retains  its  natural  beauty, 
the  trees  and  bushes  overhanging  its  edges  are  still  mirrored  in  its 
limpid  waters,  and  flitting  clouds  are  reflected  as  they  were  a  century  and  a  half  ago.  As  it  appeared  to 
Ueerslayer   when  he  first  looked  upon  this  lake  of  the  hills:— 

'•In  about  ten  minutes  they  both    broke   suddenly  into  the  brilliant   li-ht  of   the  sun,  on  a  low  gravelly  point,  that  wa.s 

washed  by  water  on  quite  half  its  outline.  ,    ,    ,  , 

"An  exclamation  of    surprise  broke    from    the    lips  of    Deerslayer,  when,  on  reaching  the    mar-. n  of    the   lake,  he  beheld 


THE    UAKE,  FROM    THE    WEST. 


THE   PARK,  LOOKING   SOUTH. 


m 


COUNCIL   ROCK. 


LEATHERSTOCKING    FALLS. 


the  view  that  unexiJectedly  met  his  gaze.  It  was,  in  truth, 
sufficiently  striking-  to  merit  a  brief  description.  On  a  level 
with  the  point  lay  a  broad  sheet  of  water,  so  placid  and  limpid 
that  it  resembled  a  bed  of  the  pure  mountain  atmosphere, 
compressed  into  a  setting-  of  hills  and  -woods.  Its  length  was 
about  three  leagues,  while  its  breadth  was  irregular,  expand- 
ing to  half  a  league  or  even  more,  opposite  to  the  point,  and 
contracting  to  less  than  half  that  distance,  more  to  the  south- 
ward. Of  course,  its  margin  was  irregular,  being  indented 
by  bays,  and  broken  by  many  projecting  low  points.  At  its 
northern  or  nearest  end  it  was  bounded  by  an  isolated  mount- 
ain, lower  land  falling  off  east  and  west,  gracefully  relieving 
the  sweep  of  the  outline. 

"But  the  most  striking  peculiarities  of  the  scene  were  its 
solemn  solitude  and  sweet  repose.  On  all  sides,  wherever  the 
eye  turned,  nothing  met  it  but  the  mirror-like  surface  of  the 
lake,  the  placid  view  of  heaven,  and  the  dense  setting  of  the 
woods.  So  rich  and  fleecy  were  the  outlines  of  the  forest  that 
scarce  an  opening  could  be  seen,  the  whole  visible  earth,  from 
the  rounded  mountain-top  to  the  water's  edge,  presenting  one 
unvaried  hue  of  verdure." 

No  essential  chang-es  have  been  made  in  the  appear- 
ance of  the  lake  since  Cooper  penned  the  above  de- 
scription. True,  -we  see  no  'Hntter's  Castle'  rising 
from  the  water,  but  'the  sunken  island,"  with  the 
rushes  growing-  over  it,  remains  as  in  the  days  of  the 
stirring  scenes  portrayed  by  the  great  American  novel- 
ist.    Upon  the  eastern  shore,  on   Point  Judith,  King- 


fisher's Tower,  a  handsome  medieval  structure,  rises 
some  sixty  feet  above  the  water. 

No  Huron  camp  is  on  the  shore,  for  the  red  men 
have  disappeared  from  the  valley.  The  forest  at  the 
west  has  been  cleared  away,  and  in  its  place  upon  the 
hill-side  are  fertile  farms,  while  on  the  eastern  shore 
the  forest,  with  few  exceptions,  still  grows  to  the 
water's  edge,  and  back  in  unbroken  fastness  to  the 
summit  of  the  hills. 

Says  the  author  of    the  ^^Historv  oj  Coopcrstozfii :^'' 
"Although   there   may    be   other   lakes   as   beautiful,  with 
scenery  as  diversitied,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  another  spot 
combining   all    the   advantages  of   the  'Glimmerglass.'     The 
graceful  bays  and    wooded   points,  with   their  'maple   masses 
sleeping  where  shore  and  water  blends,'  the  somber  pine  for- 
ests  that   crown    its   mountain-tops,  the   silver   streams  that 
thread  it   lowlands,  its    winding    roads,  with    their    woodland 
border,  and  the  enchanting-  air  of  romance   that   ever   haunts 
I    its  shores  and    waters,  with    the  fond  skies    leaning   above  it, 
warm  with    blessing,  render   Otsego   peculiarly   attractive  to 
[   the  lover  of   the  beautiful.     And  as  from   thy   wooded  rim  we 
'    gaze    oif    over    thy    quiet    waters,   mirroring    the    mountains^ 
which,  uplifting    against    the    blue    wall    of    the    sky,  stretch 
awav  in  wavy  lines,  we  are  assur  d  that  : 
'O'er  no  sweeter  lake 

Shall  morning  break  or  noon-cloud  sail  ; 
No  fairer  face  than  thine  shall  take 
The  sunset's  golden  veil.'  " 


THE    LAKE.   LOOKING   SOUTH    FROM    HYDE    HALL. 


-'^&^P%^' 


^ 


ROAD  THROUGH   THE    CANON  AT    FIVE-MILE   POINT. 


A  RIVER  VIEW. 


J.    FENIMORE    COOPER'S   GRAVE    IN    CHRIST    CHL.'RCH    YARD. 


Places  of  g;reater  beauty  can  not  be  found  in  all 
the  land  than  the  surroundings  of  this  beautiful  sheet 
of  water,  l_ving  in  this  enchanted  basin  among-  the  Ot- 
sego Hills. 

Near  the  outlet  and  a  little  to  the  west  ma^'  still 
be  seen  the  rock  from  which  Chingachgook  leaped  to 
the  deck  of  the  ark  and  escaped  from  his  pursuers: 

■'The  rock,  which  was  a  favorite  place  of  rendezvous  through- 
out all  that  region,  and  where  Deerslaver  e.\pected  to  meet  his 
friend  ....  was  a  large  isolated  stone  that  rested  on 
the  bottom  of  the  lake,  apparently  left  there  when  the  waters 
tore  away  the  earth  from  around  it.  in  forcing  for  themselves 
a  passage  down  the  river,  and  which  had  obtained  its  shape 
fr  'm  the  action  of  the  elements  during  the  slow  progress  of 
centuries.  The  height  of  the  rock  could  scarcely  exceed  six 
feet,  and,  as  has  been  said,  its  sh.ipe  was  not  unlike  that  given 
to  bee-hives       .... 

■•■Is  the  rock  empty.  Judith?'  inquired  Deerslayer,  as  soon 
as  he  had  checked  the  drift  of  the  ark.  deeming  it  imprudent 
to  venture  unnecessarily  near  the  shore.  'Is  anything  to  be 
seen  fif  the  Delaware  chief?' 

■■'Nothing.  Peerslayer.  Neither  rock,  shore,  tree,  nor  lake 
seems  to  have  ever  held  a  human  form."     .... 

■■Deerslayer  was  interrupted  by  a  slig-ht  exclamation  from 
the  girl,  who  in  obedience  to  his  hurried  gesture,  as  much  as 
in  obedience  to  his  words,  had  im.ncdiately  bent  her  looks 
again  in  the  opposite  direction. 


•■  ■What  is  it?  What  is  it,  Judith?"  he  hastily  demanded. 
■Is  anything  to  be  seen?' 

■•  ■There  is  a  man  on  the  rock!  an  Indian  warrior,  in  his 
paint,  and  armed  ' 

•'  'Where  does  he  wear  his  hawk's  feather?'  eagerly  added 
Deerslayer,  relaxing  his  hold  of  the  line,  in  readiness  to  drift 
nearer  to  the  place  of  rendezvous.  Is  it  fast  to  the  warlock, 
or  doe-s  he  carry  it  above  his  left  ear?' 

■■  '"Tis  as  you  say.  above  the  left  ear;'  he  smiles,  too,  and 
mutters  the  word  ■Mohican.'  ' 

■•■God  be  praisedl  'tis  the  Serpent  at  last,' exclaimed  the 
young  man,  suffering  the  line  to  slip  through  his  hands,  until, 
hearing  a  light  bound  in  the  other  end  of  the  scow,  he  instant- 
ly checked  the  rope  and  began  to  haul  it  in  again,  under  the 
assurance  that  his  object  was  etfected. 

"At  that  moment  the  door  of  the  cabin  was  hastily  opened, 
and  a  warrior,  dashing  through  the  room,  stood  at  Deerslayer's 
side,  simply  uttering  the  exclamation  'Hugh."  At  the  next 
instant  Judith  and  Hetty  shrieked,  and  the  air  was  filled  with 
the  yells  of  twenty  savages,  who  came  leaping  through  the 
branches,  down  the  bank,  some  actually  falling  into  the  water. 

■■  'Pull,  Deerslayer!'  cried  Judith,  hastily  barring  the  door. 
'Pull  for  life  and  death  -the  lake  is  full  of  savages  wading 
after  us!'  " 

About  two  miles  from  the  southern  end  of  the  lake 
and  a  little  back  from  the  shore  may  be  seen  Leather- 
stocking  Falls  or  Panther's  Leap.  Here  the  Swan,  an 
Indian  girl,  came  to  bathe,  unconscious  of  the  presence 
of  Leatherstocking,  who  near  the  stream  below  was 


THE   GLTMMERGLASS.  LOOKING   NORTH. 


ENTRANCE    TO    U  E  A  TH  ERSTOC  KING    CAVE. 


COOPtR    MONUMENT    IN    L-AKEWOOD  CEMETERY. 


VIEW  OF   THE  VILLAGE  AND    LAKE    FROM    HILLS   ON   THE    SOUTHWEST. 


VIEW  OF  THE   SUSQUEHANNA  RIVER 


■-f-'^:    W, 


1    ..-SW 
rST   AFTER    IT    LEAVES   OTSEGO    LAKE 


silently  watching  the  huge  but  crafty  animal  prepar- 
ing to  spring  upon  her. 

"With  deadU-  aim  the  hunter  stood 

And  watched  the  stealthy  panther  cieep. 
Still  nearer  to  the  noisy  flood. 

To  bring-  the  maid  within  his  rcacli. 
"When  instantly  his  weapon's  rini^. 

From  silent  rock,  from  hill  and  dell, 
Was  blended  in  one  echoing-. 

To  where  the  lifeless  panther  lay.'' 

The  Wild  Rose  Point  of  years  gone  bv,  the  scene 
of  the  parting  between  Deerslayer  and  Judith  Hutter, 
is  now  prosaic  Three-Mile  Point,  which  is  owntd  by 
the  village  of  Cooperstown  and  used  as  a  public  picnic 
ground.  Not  all  the  romance  has  deserted  it,  how- 
ever, for  in  the  summer,  young  and  old,  from  far  and 
near,  gather  at  this  enchanted  spot  to  pass  the  hours 
away.  Two  miles  farther  to  the  northward  is  Five- 
Mile  Point,  and  just  beyond  is  Hutter's  Point,  from 
which  Deerslayer  first  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  Glim- 
merglass. 

At  the  northern  extremity  of  the  lake  rises  the 
Sleeping  Lion,  a  mountain,  so-called  from  a  fancied 
resemblance.  The  western  shore  is  much  broken  by 
little  points  and  bays  which  add  to  the  attractiveness 
of  the  view.  A  range  of  hills  skirts  the  entire  eastern 
shore  of  the  lake,  terminating  in  a  still  higher  emi- 


nence. Mount  Vision.  At  the  southern  ertd  of  the 
lake,  somewhat  to  the  cast,  the  Susquehanna  begins  its 
journey  to  the  sea. 

Those  who  have  visited  the  lakes  of  Switzerland 
and  the  Lochs  of  Scotland,  as  well  as  the  numerous 
charming  inland  waters  of  our  own  State,  say  Lake 
Otsego  equals,  if  it  does  not  surpass,  anv  of  them. 

Besides  the  natural  beauty  of  Cooperstown  and 
surroundings,  the  attractiveness  of  the  place  is  much 
increased  by  well-laid-out  and  well-kept  streets  and 
lawns,  by  many  handsome  private  residences,  by  shady 
walks  and  pleasant  drives  for  many  miles  around. 
Through  the  liberality  of  Mrs.  Alfred  Corning  Clark 
a  beautiful  public  park  has  been  laid  out  with  charm- 
ing walks  under  shade  trees.  In  the  center  of  the 
grounds,  on  the  spot  where  stood  Otsego  Hall  —the 
home  of  Cooper — stands  a  huge  boulder  of  Syenite,  oH 
which  has  been  placed  a  bronze  statue  of  an  Indian 
hunter  as  a  memorial  of  the  great  novelist.  The  mound 
bears  bronze  tablets,  with  this  inscription:  'On  this 
site  stood  Otsego  Hall,  built  by  William  Cooper,  the 
founder  of  Cooperstown,  in  1748,  the  home  of  James 
Fenimore  Cooper,  where  he  lived  from  183^  to  the  day 
of  his  death,  September  14th,  1S51;  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1.853.' 


OTSEGO   HALL.  COOHfclR'S   HOME.     BUILT    1798.  BURNED   1852. 


THE    PARK.   LOOKING    NORTH. 


THE   LAKE    FROM    NEAR   THE  QUARRY.   LOOKING    NORTHWEST. 


SHADOW   BROOK.  BEFORE    IT    ENTERS   THE    LAKE  AT   THE   HEAD. 


Ever\-  facility  is  provided  for  sailing-  on  the  lake. 
Two  steamers  for  the  public  and  many  private  launches, 
together  with  nearly  two  hundred  row  boats,  make  up 
the  fleet.  Nothing  could  be  more  delightful  than  a 
trip  by  daylight  or  moonlight  on  the  waters  of  this 
famous  lake.  As  our  boat  glides  swiftly  away  from 
the  shore  we  recall  that  other  departure  from  the 
southern  end  of  the  lake  when  Deerslayer  came  to 
meet  his  friend.  Big  Serpent,  at  Council  Rock.  But 
no  Indian  war  cry  is  heard  from  the  shore,  for  the 
wilderness  which  could  conceal  a  savage  has  been 
cleared  away,  and  now  upon  it  the  pretty  streets  of 
Cooperstown  are  laid. 

To  the  lover  of  the  beautiful,  the  surroundings  of 
Otsego  Lake  are  ever  attractive.  There  are  so  many 
points  of  interest.  Then,  too,  it  was  the  home  of 
James  Fenimore  Cooper.  In  his  youth,  his  father 
moved  here,  cleared  away  the  forest,  settled,  and  named 
the  town,  and  here  the  great  novelist  lived,  worked 
and  died,  and  in  the  old  Episcopal  Church-yard  may 
be  seen  his  grave  beside  that  of  his  wife. 

On  a  gentle  rise  of  ground  in  Lakewood  Cemetery, 
a  little  to  the  east,  and  above  the  village,  may  be  seen 
the  Leatherstocking  monument,  erected  in  honor  of 
James  Fenimore  Cooper.     A  visit  to  the  town  is  not 


complete  without  a  visit  to  this  monument.  It  is  of 
white  marble  with  square  granite  base.  The  shaft, 
including  all,  is  about  twenty-five  feet  high  and  is  sur- 
mounted by  a  Corinthian  capital.  Only  the  name 
'Fenimore  Cooper'  is  on  the  base.  On  the  north  in 
relief  are  emblems  illustrating  his  tales  of  the  sea 
and  his  naval  histories.  On  the  east  side  are  carved 
the  titles  of  his  warks,  with  pen,  inkstand  and  an  urn 
with  incense  rising.  On  the  south  are  emblems  illus- 
trating his  Indian  tales.  Crowning  the  column  is  a 
statue  of  I^eatherstocking,  dressed  in  hunting  shirt, 
leggings  and  deer  skin  cap,  with  powder  horn  and  bul- 
let pouch  slung  over  his  shcmlders,  his  dog,  Plector, 
crouching  at  his  feet. 

-Some  of  the  numerous  points  of  interest  in  and 
about  Cooperstown,  with  distance  from  the  corner 
of  Main  and  Pioneer  Streets,  are  as  follows: 

Cooper's  grave,  Episcopal  Church-yard,  three  min- 
utes walk. 

Site  of  Otsego  Hall  (Coo])cr's  home,  )  three  minutes 
walk. 

Hannahs  Hill,  west  side  of  the  lake,  one-half  mile. 
The    beautiful    park    called    The    Cooper   (Grounds, 
three  minutes  walk. 

Lakewood  Cemetery,  east  side  of  the  lake,  one-half 
mile. 


LOOKING    NORTH    FROM     DUGWAY. 


THE   LAKE,  LOOKING    NORTH. 


THE    PARK,  LOOKING    NORTH. 


KINGFISHER    TOWER. 


Prospect  Rock,  cast  side  of  the  lake,  tliree-fourths 
of  a  mile. 

Mount  Vision,  east  side  of  the  lake,  one  mile. 

Otsetjo  or  Council  Rock,  at  the  outlet,  three  minutes 
walk. 

Cooper's  Monument  in  Lakewood  Cemetery. 

The  Echo  and  Natty  Bumppo's  Cave,  east  side,  one 
mile. 

Point  Judith,  east  side,  two  miles. 

Three-Mile  Point,  the  Wild  Rose  Point  of  years 
ago,  west  side,  three  miles. 

Five-Mile  Point,  west  side,  five  miles. 

Cooperstown  Golf  Links  five  minutes  walk. 

Gravelly  Point,  where  Deerslayer  had  his  first  com- 
bat with  a  hostile  Indian,  east  side,  five  miles. 

The  Sunken  Island,  the  site  of  Hutter's  Castle, 
seven  miles. 

Otsego  Golf  Clui)  Links,  at  the  end  of  the  lake,  nine 
miles. 

Leatherstocking  Falls,  west  side,  two  and  one-half 
miles. 

Cherry  Valley,  thirteen  miles. 

Richfield  Springs,  sixteen  miles. 

Sharon  Springs,  twenty  miles. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  attractions  at  this  gem  of 
the  hills.  Sojourners  here  need  have  no  fear  that 
time  with  them  will   be  burdensome.      It  is  possible  to 


remain  here  for  the  entire  season  and  visit  a  new  point 
of  historic  or  romantic  interest  every  day.  Boating  is 
a  favorite  pastime  with  many,  while  others  prefer 
more  prosaic  means  of  recreation,  and  are  to  be  found 
enjoying  the  delightful  drives  about  Cooperstown. 
Still  others  adopt  the  more  modern  means  of  travel, 
and  are  to  be  found  enjoying  the  smooth  and  shady 
roads  upon  their  bicycles. 

A  climb  up  the  side  of  Mount  Visiim  is  rewarded 
by  a  view  of  almost  the  entire  lake  and  the  principal 
points  of  interest  surrounding  it.  Council  Rock  may 
be  seen  just  at  the  point  where  the  Susquehanna  leaves 
the  lake  on  its  way  to  the  ocean.  Point  Judith  is  two 
miles  up  and  on  the  eastern  shore. 

Across  the  lake  is  Leatherstocking  Falls,  and  back 
of  Point  Judith,  on  the  mountain,  is  Natty  Bumppo's 
cave.  In  imagination  one  can  see  Deerslayer's  canoe 
go  gliding  across  the  lake,  see  Hutter's  castle  rising 
above  the  water,  catch  a  glimpse  of  Hurry  Harry  and 
Judith,  hear  the  Indians'  wild  yell,  see  the  Mohawk 
trail  leading  out  from  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  hear 
the  wise,  pure-minded  scout  ever  counseling  justice 
and  truth.  Many  years  have  passed  since  the  immor- 
tal Cooper  so  vividly  pictured  these  scenes,  yet  their 
influence  survives,  and  helps  to  cast  a  charm  over  the 
'Glimmerglass'  that  will  linger  while  its  waters  surge 
and  its  hills  re-echo  the  sound. 


H 

I 

z 

D 

> 

Z 

1 

c 

z 

H 

m 

JO 


SOME   LAKE   SHORE   DRIVES.     LAKE  VIEWS.    Y.  M.  C.  A.  BUILDING. 


THE    LAKE.     GOLF    LINKS. 


LAKE    AND    RIVER    SCENERY.     KINGFISHER   TOWER. 


SOME   PICTURESQUE    DRIVES. 


VIEW  OF  VIUUAGE  AND  LAKE. 


-)  '"' 


ll^.;^hy:iJMy^''''.-:^^ 


CV 


n 


